Introduction
The challenges faced by every SME and family business is unique, and requires detailed planning and bespoke solutions, tailored to each business-owners’ unique situation. Financial planners who understand the challenges and issues faced by small business owners are strategically positioned, to provide practical solutions to help them navigate these challenges through a customized portfolio of insurance and investment solutions.
This is the objective of the Certificate in Advising Small and Family Businesses Program conducted by Financial Perspectives. Through this program, financial planners will acquire the competency and confidence to engage business owners, and successfully convert them to clients using field tested approach and frameworks developed from both practice experience and academia.
ASFB Modules
Here are the 6 Modules to be covered in the course:
Module 1 provides an overview of advising small business owners and the potential opportunities a financial planner can generate. Learners will gain a comprehensive understanding of the 12 different challenges that every business owner will potentially encounter, apply the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, and appreciate how insurance and investment products can be structured to effectively manage them. Learners will also be equipped to apply various conversational frameworks to effectively engage business owners and employ more than 15 ideas that the conversations will lead to.
Module 2 provides a qualitative analysis framework for understanding the business environment, identify opportunities with any business, and deploy effective solutions using insurance and investment suite of products. Learners will develop a holistic understanding of where to start, what to look for, and how to engage their prospective clients from the pre-approach to the closing phase of the planning process.
Module 3 provides a quantitative analysis framework to identify potential challenges within the business such as guarantor, creditor, or debtor exposure, working capital inadequacies, and other financial uncertainties a business owner face. Learners will develop competencies to quickly assess a company’s financial situation and identify financial exposures that could impact the business owner and his family, and deploy suitable solutions using insurance products to address them.
Module 4 discusses the importance of exit and business continuity planning, and examines the various exits structures funded by life insurance. Learners will learn how to use insurance products to fund the exit of a business owner in different business structures, from sole proprietors to partners and private limited company shareholders.
Module 5 Examines in greater detail the business continuity planning framework, and how to protect the keyman of a company. Learners will also develop competencies to apply different talent retention strategies that can be used to retain key employees for the long-term benefit of the business using insurance and investment products.
The final module Addresses the challenges and concerns of family businesses. Learners will develop competencies in analyzing family businesses, and identify family dynamics and potential opportunities that could arise in the engagement. The key takeaway will be how to implement insurance and investment solutions to mitigate the different challenges and complex situations facing family business owners, such as succession, retirement and equalization planning.
This 21-hour program is delivered through short-structured lectures, case studies and group discussions. There will be an online assessment at the end of the program. Upon completion of this program, you will be awarded with 21 non-core CPD Training Hours and the Certificate of Completion, Cert. ASFB.
Learners who completed this program will also be part of an exclusive alumnus, and gain access to our regular alumni meetings to be informed of the latest developments in the practice. There would also be workshops conducted by various practitioners in related fields.